Ever wondered why you can’t have just one handful (or in our case packet) of crisps? Or why a few squares of chocolate just isn’t enough? Well wonder no more.
New research reveals that there is a condition that makes it impossible to eat just a small amount of certain foods.
It’s called “hedonic hyperphagia.” And while it can be pretty harmless, in its chronic form it can lead to obesity.
Dr Tobias Hoch, who presented the findings to the American Chemical Society explained: “That’s the scientific term for ‘eating to excess for pleasure rather than for hunger.’”
He added: “It’s recreational over-eating that may occur in almost everyone at some time in life.”
The study, which involved food-testing on rats, found that they were drawn to crisps more so than any other food.
Dr Hoch said this could be related the pleasing signals that high levels of fat and carbohydrate send to the brain or perhaps the reward system.
The next step is to find out what exactly triggers the reward way of thinking in order to find a means of preventing an addiction to treats such as crisps and chocolate.
Chocolate is another food that people are known to binge on.
